Connector for apparel



Feb. 12, 1952 J. v. SCHAFER CONNECTOR FOR APPAREL F'iled April 18, 1949 IIIHH lllllllll JNVENTOR. JOHN M SCH/JFER ATTO NEY Patented Feb. 12, 1952 Q Q Q emes J olm vsschafer, Bronson Mich'. Application April 18, 1949,]sfeziai110588337;

- 4 Claims. 1.

r This invention relates generally to connecting means and more particularly is directed to a connector or fastener which is adapted'to detachably connect, together portions or sections of Wearing apparel.

The neck bands of dress and sport shirts and blouses and the neck bands of certain types of underwear and the Waist band of shorts, including other apparel, due to various factors, such as shrinkage, become smaller or restricted in size thereby rendering thegarment uncomfortable and perhaps unfit for the use intended.

- The primary objective of the subject invention is toprovide meansfor overcoming the-above disadvantages.

More particularly an object of theinvention is to provide an improved connector which is simple in design and construction yet exceptionally enicient and durable in use.;

Another important object of the invention'is to provide a connector which can be easily and quickly detachabl-yassembled with parts or panel portions of a garmentto be secured' or brought together.

An additional significantobject of the invention is to provide a connector-which is unique in character in that it' is substantially normally concealed from view when properlyapplied 'to a garment; a

A further object of the invention is to "provide a novel connector which is readily stretchable or resilient so, that it will automatically accommodate itself to variable conditions in use.

A still further object of the invention is to provide at least one type of connectorwhich is of non-metallic construction,-. light, in weight, easily cleanable, and which can be economically manu-r factured on a production basis.

Other objects and advantages of theinvention will become evident after the description hereinafter set forth isconsidered in conjunction with the drawings annexed hereto.

In the drawings wherein like parts or elements are identified by the same numerals:

Figure 1 exemplifies the front view of a. dress shirt showing one typeof connector, embodying the invention, applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a top view of the assembly illustrated in Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows 2-2; Y

Figures 3 and 4 are top and side views of the connector illustrated in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 5 is a front view of the upper neck band area of an undergarment showing a connector, embodying the invention, applied thereto;

' 'Fi'g'ure- ,6- isjfa front viewertheup srwaist'band areaof annnd sarment showin aoonnectorj; od ing. e nvention,.applied theret Fi'eure 7 is -.a',t p ivi wofa diiierentitormjof connector embodyingthe invention;

' Fi ure. 8 s. at ansver e. tional viewftaken substantially; on theline 8. B,of Figureh'l;

Figure ,9 isa. sjiderview, of.the,,connector;-il1us= tratedlin Fi ures? andfii,

F ure 10-. s. a side. view of a still diflerentform of Connector embodying.theti'nven on;and;

Figure llillustrates an additional typeof eon: n c ar em ing theinv ntioni,

After a shirt has beemwashed or-cleaned,. several times it will ordinarily shrinkhto some ex; tentv u he: collar. to 'liecome tiehtfittin uncomfortable and, unsightl Occasionally, the shrinkage islso great that itis impossible to. even button the collar. Increasednweight. or, growth of an individual .-will ,also, cause -a ,collar. to-,.con= strict thenecla The p s nt invention enables. an individual to enlarge-orexpand the. collariof ashirt, aswall-as certain other apparel and. therebyovercome the above disadvantages.

With these housh srin mind,.- referencaisfirst made to Figures 1 through 4 of thee-drawi wh rein num rals I 1 and: 2 1 repre ent heefront panel portions or secti ns ot a ;conventional dr ss; shirt, 3 a collar; andA-anstk bandprovideclwith a button 5 at one extremit y thereofand; abuts tonhole or slot: B-at its oppo ite extremity;

A- connector; ea m-a l designa ed; pretex b y 'c nst u t dxof someodes rableamn stretehe ble. ma r l, su h: a cl th: or canvas; .is empl yed to .enlarsert. collamh Tbiseonneetor is elon a ed, substantially; flat. and includes 1 a tail o o eneralist rectan ular, in shape; and a substantially round head-mention .95, The; tail portion :is psovidedcwitn :a centrally disposed longitudinally extending; buttonhole or, 510th l0. and the head portion is provided-.witha: button IL; preferably of: rubber, attached thereto by thread .12 or otherisuitablewmeans. Theiend of the. tail portion oppositethe head, portionmay be rounded as indicated at l3. s

To apply the'connector it is merelynecessary to insert the but-ton i on the neckbandof the shirt into the slot in of the connector and the button ll of the connector into the slot 6 in the neck band, whereupon the assembly will appear as exemplified in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing. With this arrangement, the connector, except for the button H, is substantially concealed from view. When a tie is properly secured in A connector l5 of a difierent form is illustrated.

in Figures 7, 8 and 9 of the drawing. This connector is preferably made of moulded rubber or some desirable resilient plastic material,

It isv generally rectangular in shape with its ends rounded as depicted. One extremityof the connector is provided with a button It and its opposite extremity with a-buttonhole or slot 11-.

The marginal edges of the body are preferably accommodate itself, withinpracticable limits, to 3 various-sizes of neck or waists. The state or condition of resiliency is preferably such that the ends of a neck or waist band will be satisfactorily held together without causing the wearer to feel uncomfortable.

- A different connector generally designated 20,

embodying the" invention, is exemplified in Figure 10 of the drawing. This connector preferably includes a fabric body 2| having a female fitting or socket '22 at one end and a male or plug 23 at its other end. This particular type of connector may readily lend itself for application to mens shorts'or pajama trunks, of which the flaps or overlapping front portions thereof are provided with male and female fittings substantially corresponding to those on the connector for connection therewith. V

Figure 11' of the drawing illustrates a connector 24 which substantially corresponds to connector 1, except thatit is constructed of a rubberized fabric or elastic' 'material. e In view of the foregoing description it will be obvious that the various connectors maybe made in different colors, sizes, and stretchable or nonstretchable depending on 'the use or application desired. It will also be manifest that the connectors are adapted for disposition or arrangement between overlapping. panels, sections or portions of a garment for concealment.

While the above description has been given in detail, it has been without intention'of limiting the invention since the inventive principles involved are capable of assuming otherrphysical embodiments withoutdeparting from the. spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims. V

.Iclaimu I l 1. A mouldedone piece connector, adapted for These beaded portions also assist in 4 2ml a.. 4.1,;

use with a conventional shirt collar having an inner portion provided with fastening means at its outer side and an outer portion provided with an aperture for normally receiving said fastening means, consisting of an elongated yieldable flat member adapted for disposition between and in conforming relationship with the inner and outer portions, and said connector having an opening for receiving the fastening means on the i inner portion and also having fastening means moulded on the member and spaced from the opening for reception in the aperture in the outer portion in a manner whereby the connector will increase the normal size of the collar and automaticallyconform circularly to the neck of a wearer.

2. A conventional shirt collar having an inner portion provided with a fastener at its outer side and an overlapping outer portion provided with a hole for normally receiving said fastener, a detachable, connector comprising an elongated yieldable body interposed between and in conforming relationship with the inner and outer portions'of the collar, and said connector being provided with a hole receiving the fastener on the inner portion of the collar and also with fastening means received in the hole of the outer portion of the collar for connecting the said portions together in a manner whereby the connector may readily conform to the neck of a wearer.

3..The connector defined in claim 1 in which marginal edges of the flat member are reenforced.

4. A conventional shirt collar having an inner portion provided with a fastener at its outer side and an overlapping outer portion provided with a hole for normally receiving said fastener, a des tachable moulded one-pieceyieldable connector comprising an elongated body interposed between and in conforming relationship with the inner and outer portions of the collar, and said connector being provided with a hole receiving the fastener on the inner portion of the collar and also with fastening means received in the hole of the outer portion of the collar for connecting the said portions together in a manner whereby the connector will conform to the neck of a wearer. V

' JOHN V. SCHAFER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 290,953 West Dec. 25, 1883 702,925 Coon June 24, 1902 744,594 Muth Nov. 17, 1903 1,229,773 Milos June 12, 1917 1,982,527 Manckin Nov. 27, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 25,661 Great Britain Dec. 9, 1902 

